In the discussion on the railway budget in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, Mr. Srinivasa Rao while supporting the Railway Budget 2015, noted that Andhra Pradesh was disappointed over the railway budget as the Railway Minister has neither sanctioned any new project nor has allocated funds to complete the pending projects.

“I was expecting an announcement on separate zone and clubbing of Waltair Division in it. But, this had not happened,” he said .

Several works including the Vijayawada-Nidadavole-Jaggayyapet-Vishnupuram and Kakinada-Pithapuram lines have not found a mention in the Railway Minister’s speech though the State Government had agreed to bear 50 per cent of the cost.

Mr. Srinivasa Rao, however, welcomed the announcement on making the A-1 grade Visakhapatnam Railway Station WiFi-enabled and the development of satellite railway stations at Anakapalle, Duvvada, Simhachalam and Pendurthy.

Policy Change

The policy change on ‘private sidings’ would help development of Visakhapatnam city as a logistics hub with speedier evacuation from the sea port.

New Zone

He sought among other things: stoppage of all super fast trains at Anakapalle, stoppage of Mumbai LTT Express at Duvvada, provision of passenger amenities at Anakapalle, Elamanchili, Narsipatnam Road and Duvvada Railway Stations.

Mr. Srinivasa Rao appealed to the Railway Minister to expedite the process of creation of the new zone as it was promised in the AP Reorganisation Act.

welcomed the announcement on making the A-1 grade Visakhapatnam Railway Station WiFi-enabled